Thursday, March 31, 2011

Let me preface this by saying that I do not own anything that has proven out, and right now, it is still in the working out stages.

Once upon a time, there was a guy named Tim. He ended up with some snakes that he thought may be something. So he decided to breed them together and see what they made.

They looked a little like Yellowbellies, but a bit more complicated than that. I saw them before they bred, thought they may be yellowbellies as well, and went on my merry way.

So, he bred two together, and this is what popped out.

Wowwee! I thought to myself.

That's pretty damned cool. And look, it has way more color than that of a normal Ivory.

And so Tim started showing these animals off to try and gauge what they could possibly be. No one could put a finger on it. Again, these are not technically proven yet, but he is working on it, and I intend to do so as well.

Below is a picture of the Odd Super and an actual Ivory below. (Not my animals)

And this is the Super now. Still looking awesome and peachy and cool.

Now my involvement in the project is that I have a female. I intend to get her bigger and breed her to something next year. Now to what, that is the question of the century. I'd love to have a peachy super whatchamacalit, but we shall have to see how that turns up.

Monday, March 28, 2011

This weekend, I went into the snake room and I moved some males around. Of course I didn't see much locking this time around (like this entire season, pretty much), but I am still plugging along.

I came back a few days later, and I caught this gentleman somewhat side locked with his lady friend.

So I thought to myself, what happens with the Hets that come out of this breeding? How do I identify them on their tubs?

(Well, as you know, I have a system for this and have had one for a while, but just go with the story flow)

Let me introduce you to my new favorite things to play with on tubs.

China Markers.

Now, I have had China Markers for a while, but only in black. Black is a great color, I love it and all, but when it comes down to looking into a tub that is completely dark and trying to read the lettering on it, sometimes black just doesn't cut it.

So I got a few more colors.

I love playing with colors.

Red, Green and White to be precise. I have used the white one on tubs that are dark with some success. I shall have to play around with it a bit more.

Now for those tubs which are always needing to be labelled and will never change (or change infrequently), I use my Dymo label maker with white plastic labels. They come off clean and easy, and transfer well if you intend on moving that same snake over to a different tub.

White paper labels? Not as good of an idea... (Stays stuck on the tub, adhesive... pain in the butt)

So here we are, my friends. Things that I use, tricks of the trade, that help me identify and write on my tubs.

Use this information wisely.

And hopefully you can find some colored China Markers too. (It took me forever to find them in a speciality art store... but again, I wasn't looking for them)

BTW: Photo identification after the first shed is also a great idea for Hets. Just FYI.

Friday, March 25, 2011

It's been interesting taking out animals that are not really being used for anything right now. I have to be honest, I don't look at them as hard or for as long as those that are in the breeding program.

So it's nice to open up a tub and think, "Oh yeah, I can use them next year for this and this and that."

And then there are those that you had thought last year that would go this year... Like this Mojave, who decided to go on a hunger strike for the past three months.

Awesome, of course. Which just means bigger female for next year!

Same goes for this Spider female...

Problem with this one is that she dislikes rats since she got gnawed on by one.

So I will have to figure out something... Mice only occasionally.

Ah, the mysteries of Ball Pythons.

And then there are those that I have yet to be able to use, such as this Fire female.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Super Fire. I really do. Yellow splotches on a white animal? How can you dislike that?

I am so excited to use them!

And the animals shall be cleaned and fed and loved until they can be in the system.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A huge storm front has come thru Southern California (well, all of California, but now it's here!).

What does this mean?

Barometric pressures are DOWN, which means breeding goes UP!

So I moved the males around this past day or so, and I caught some pictures.

Here we have the Albino stud male breeding his Spider poss het Albino girlfriend. I really hope she proves out this season. Would be really nice to get some Albino Spiders!

And of course, not all breedings are legit, but at least they are trying!

And before hand, they had to dirty up the tub, of course. Anyway, this is my Pastel Yellowbelly male with a Spider female and a really weird angle. I was not above, I was below holding the camera up over the tub, pressing the button randomly and hoping for a good picture. This picture makes me dizzy.

My poor Pee Oh Gee... He has stuck shed. He is not caring about anything except breeding. And he is getting it done with a Het female. Once he unlocks, he will be well attended to, don't you worry.

My Snow pair... Albino het to Axanthic het. He's trying... She is developing follicles, so lets hope things get serious soon. They have been together before, but I'd like to see a few more locks before I am comfortable with the pairing.

And this one, the infamous Pastel Super Mojave with his lady friend, the Special. She has been off feed for a while, so I thought to toss him in there. Obviously, it was a good idea, although I'd like her to pick up a few more grams... We shall see, my friends.

So it continues to rain this weekend, and after these locks, the boys will be moved again and will be with new gals that I hope to be able to share with you!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Was cleaning out the subadult rack and I had a chance to take some pictures of the larger subadults.

I know it's been a while since we talked about these guys, so I thought it would be fun to bring them out again!

Above, we have the solid striped (and of course picky eater) Pastel Lesser female that I produced. Her sister is almost twice as big as she is, but of course, the one I admire the most is the one that gives me the most trouble.

Yeah. But she's still gorgeous, so who cares? Take your time, sweetheart.

And one of the Enchi females that I held back as well. This gal is dark. Yes, she is not the ultimate Enchi that everyone dreams about, but she will make some awesome combinations, so I am pretty excited about her coming to age next year.

My TSK Axanthic het Albino from the Snow fail/debacle. This year we shall see if we finally hit on one... Crossing all crossibles, but even if we don't, this gal should be up to size soon enough for me to play with. I WILL GET MY SNOW.

And last but not least, the hidden gem of my collection partially because I only have this one. Only one. This, my friends, is my Woma. I heart her, as I was looking for a clean Woma without any dots, as well as a nice blushing back and striping. I found her after months of searching, and I can't wait to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with her (next season, I would like to think...)

So this was only one of the racks I was cleaning, of course, so more photos soon, and I'm moving the males around tomorrow, so hopefully some lock photos soon too.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Back in the day, when Mojaves, Lessers and Butters were scarce and often times not that frequently seen, I wondered why people were so much more gung-ho about getting Butters and Lessers.

Mojaves are AWESOME, I thought (and still do).

Mojaves make great combinations, do great things, and have a white super!

That's pretty awesome, right?

RIGHT!

And when mixed with Pastel? Even better...

So a few years go by, and I am able to pick up both Mojaves and Lessers, and subsequently create Pastel Mojaves and Pastel Lessers.

And here, we have photos of both.

And clearly, this shows why more people are more inclined to own Lessers.

KABLOW!

Above is a Pastel Mojave, below a Pastel Lesser.

The genes are almost exactly the same, but the colors are completely different!

The Pastel Mojave carries more of the dark dones and not so much contrast, wherein the Pastel Lesser is much more contrasted and outstanding in its yellow coloration.

Laymens terms? Pastel Mojave is darker than Pastel Lesser.

Again, remember, these animals are just two gene animals of similar scope, with the variant being a BEL complex gene differentiation. Mojave versus Lesser.

WOW, what a difference.

Please note that these animals are the same general age and size, so that is not an issue in terms of comparison.

So with that being said, what do you guys prefer?

I've noticed that the market tends to trend towards the Lessers and Butters rather than the Mojaves, but the Mojaves for project stuff such as the Crystal and Mystic stuff. (The darker the better for Mojaves in those projects, as the purples and yellows are deeper the darker the Mojave)

So in general, people like Lessers and Butters better than Mojaves. Just a general rule...

So if you are interested in working out a project, and want to be able to sell them to the general public, don't worry. Both Mojaves and Lessers do sell! But Lessers tend to be in demand just a smidge more.

Friday, March 18, 2011

So again, I tried to catch a few locks, but only found one while the camera was on.

Back to the basics. Albino to Het Albino.

Hopefully this weekend I can catch a few more. I have palpated a few, and I have to say that I am really pleased at the progress of the first few females. We should see at least ovulations in droves in the next weeks.

But of course, until then...

Photos! Above, a Hypo.

Below, a Super Pastel.

And of course, this female has been hiding for a while.

Sulfur Mojave. No flash.

I am intending to get a great many photos this weekend, as I will have help. I need it to get the website updated as well.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Something I have found that I have become very attune with since becoming a reptile breeder is my sense of smell.

I don't know about you, but there are days where I go into the snake room and smell something raunchy. Maybe it's an animal that decided to take a restroom break all over the tub, maybe it's a smelly rodent smell, and occasionally there is the smell of decay.

It's not a fun thing to experience, as one would like to smell nice things all the time. Clean aspen, a nice spring flower, fresh air blowing in from the ocean...

Yesterday was the case of decay. You can ask anyone. I can identify it very quickly in minute amounts. I can pinpoint it within about 3 feet in a calm room. Decomposition is a smell that unfortunately I have become accustomed to, as there may be a snake that killed a rodent and hid it from me after I went thru the double-check. Thus, there is a dead rat over a heat source.

Let us evaluate an equation I have come up with:
Dead + Smelly = Frowny Face + Gross
And of course having to deal with it is never fun. We have a system, Joel and I.

Ziplock bags if the animal has decayed, freezer if it is recently dead. Out to trash as soon as possible.

And of course the clean up for other smelly things means frequent cleans and many trash bags out to the curb when trash day comes.

Such is the way of an animal keeper. I feel like I am not the greenest person on earth while taking out so much trash, but I validate it by way of knowing that everything I put in the trash (with the exception of the bags) is biodegradable. I am trying to figure out a way to be more "green". It's kinda hard, as you can't recycle soiled newspaper or papertowels, nor can you clean Aspen back to new. But I am finding opportunities. Post-consumer recycled plastic bowls or ceramic bowls, greener papertowels, etc... There are ways!

And of course, maybe setting up a compost pile eventually...

We will see if that one works, cause I think animal feces isn't the most inviting of compost materials.

Anyway, smells are a part of daily life as a reptile breeder, and you need to attune yourself to know what is going on. It's very helpful, albeit rather unpleasant.

So go sniff some snakes. Be one with them. And hopefully you don't get too comfortable with the smell of decomp. But if you do, know it's really not that bad...

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

So yesterday, Kona came into the snake room and was like "Get R Dun, Momma."

So I did.

I went in there with my camera (of course) and got as many photos as I could.

I was able to get this shot of these lovers in embrace. I cannot WAIT for these eggs. The male is a Spider 100% het TSK Axanthic 50% het Albino. He's in with my Axanthic poss het but didn't prove out so isn't a Het Albino in my opinion Female.

And on to the artsy photos that I shot...

This gal is one of my lighter Spiders I own, and she was actually for sale for a bit before I took her off the market. I have many Spiders, and she is still one of them.

Peek-a-boo!

And who could do a shoot with Spiders without a Bumblebee? This gal is still looking hot after a year, and will be in rotation next year. Not sure for what, but sure that she will be making some pretty babies!

And last but not least, a Fire to get things heated up around here. Focus wasn't the best, but the colors were popping, so I am happy to share. This gal I hope to be able to use next year as well, although she is a bit smaller than the Bumblebee above.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The season is nearing fruition within a month or two and I am getting ready.

This weekend between studying and papers, I got some help getting the incubators out of storage. Not all of them, mind you. Just the two big honker-tonkers that I use (Big Apple Herp) for now.

I would love to have something larger, maybe even a dedicated closet like I know some people have in their houses, but since we don't have that in our capacities right now, I get to wheel out the incubators every season.

Its kind of a ritual of sorts, and I have to say, it makes the season feel "real".

No, I don't have eggs yet, but hey, in a few weeks, I may! And these bad boys will be humming and ready for action.

Here is one of them, kinda. Not running, nothing in it, but getting ready for it!

Of course, when I get around to plugging them in and getting ready for eggs in a few weeks, I will be touching on how to prep an egg tub, as well as what to do in situations of breeding problems, which I'm sure will come up as it always does in every season.

I anticipate my first clutch coming at the end of this month, so we shall be rocking and rolling soon!

Until then, I will be taking pictures of babies and going back to suggestions about what to write about over the next few weeks.

And do homework.

Yeah.

I'm afraid that when I get into my Master's program, I may have to cut back on the blog, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it, eh?

Monday, March 14, 2011

Yes, I caught the bluest Ball Python I have ever had the chance to see.

This is my Hypo poss het Pied male, who is in the blue. Hypos or Ghosts get VERY blue when they are "in blue" which as we well know is the pre-shed indicative state of ecdysis. So in a few days, we should see this guy nice and shiny with new skin. He is still trying to breed his one and only girlfriend this season, the Pied poss het Hypo female. Let's hope they both prove out, yes?

This particular female has five to six follicles the size of gumballs, so we should be seeing something come up real soon in terms of ovulation. I hope to catch it on camera!

Anyway, I went out of my way to take some pictures for you guys this week, because as I recall, I had not put up any photos at all last week.

How shameful.

Anyway, here we go.

This photo is a photo with flash of my Pastel Super Mojave.

The one below it is without flash. I have yet to perfect the White Snake Photo syndrome, but I wanted to take these photos to show you the yellow overtones of her back and neck, as well as her faded head.

She's getting big, and I can't wait to have the opportunity to decide what the heck I want to put her with!

And of course, the infamous Black Pastel Lesser that was mistaken for a Pewter back in the day. Yeah.. I won't let myself live that one down.

I am always so proud to show off my G-Stripes.

This gal is actually one that I acquired from another breeder, and compared to the line of G-Stripes that I work with, she is darker. But I can't complain, cause she has the complete stripe that I love, so I am glad to have her in the arsenal.

Black Pastel? Why yes, thank you.

This girl is Het for Hypo, so she may be paired up with that Blue Guy up above. We shall see.

And last but not least, my Pinstripe poss het Hypo. She may go with that Blue guy too. We shall see if he proves out to be Het Pied (as she is as well), and then we will make decisions based on that.

This season should be a determining factor in a few pairings. That is always fun!

So there we go. More pictures to come, more animals to share, more stuff in general. No slacking this week.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Test is done, I feel like a weight is lifted, and I can get back to work with my snakey friends.

Granted, I am still a bit miffed at the dirtiness, maybe because I have been overly cleanly since I had been watching Hoarders.

I did a huge clean of the house, people. I went top to bottom. Now just to get rid of the junk in the garage... and in my closet.

Maybe a garage sale?

Anyway, I am reorganizing the snake room a bit too, since I have not so much space left, and too many things I want to shove in there. I need a smaller work table, but I can't find one as of yet.. Or maybe one on wheels? Hmmm...

So I took a few pictures of some of the animals that I have been moving for various reasons.

Here is someone that I am annoyed with. You remember the rant about animals that are not snakey for whatever reason?

Well, this guy is that kind of snake. I moved him into a smaller tub, and so far no change, but it takes a few weeks sometimes for them to adjust.

He's so SMALL still.

Grrrrrr...

And this guy too.

This guy decided he was going to eat well for a few months, then stop for a few months.

So he has been moved, and is now eating very well again.

YAY, but BOOO for the problems before.

Yeah, he knows he's awesome...

So in terms of what is breeding, things are being paired, but nothing super exciting right now. Boys are in the corners, so I moved them around, which is why there are no pictures.